


Keith Kogane Protects His Pack

by ShineBrightStarLight



Series: Keith Kogane And His Pack [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Lance (Voltron), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Black Paladin Keith (Voltron), Canon-Typical Violence, Dads of Marmora (Voltron), Established Keith/Lance (Voltron), Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Kuron is Shiro (Voltron)'s Clone, M/M, Multi, Omega Keith (Voltron), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Red Paladin Allura (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22049647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShineBrightStarLight/pseuds/ShineBrightStarLight
Summary: Zarkon has been defeated, and Shiro, therealShiro, is back. But the Galra Empire still stands strong, led now by the witch Haggar. Prince Lotor is working closely with the Blades to provide important intel, but with the sudden arrival of a young altean, his loyalty is thrown into question.The war is far from over, and Keith struggles to lead when his own personal problems catch up with him. His mother's reappearance being one of many.Voltron has a target painted on their backs. Can Keith keep his pack safe?This is the sequel to 'Keith Kogane Finds His Pack'. Please read that first, as this won't make much sense without it!This fic is incomplete!
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Series: Keith Kogane And His Pack [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552027
Comments: 34
Kudos: 115





	1. Sphinx Of Black Quartz, Judge My Vow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shiro wakes, the team reunite, and something sinister is at hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're back, with the longest chapter yet! I hope you guys had as good a holiday as possible, if you celebrate, and I hope this new year is fortunate to you!
> 
> Please read the end note about my update schedule!
> 
> Let's get on to the chapter! Enjoy!

Keith, Pidge and Matt gathered around Shiro’s pod, ready to catch him once it opened. His injury had healed up nicely, leaving behind a pink and shiny scar, but he was okay. He was going to be fine. Keith’s heart thrummed with nervous excitement, fingers and ears twitching, tail swishing. He couldn’t wait to have Shiro back, alive, well and, hopefully, conscious. 

The pod beeped, and Shiro’s eyes fluttered. He tried to step forward, but his leg couldn’t support his weight and he fell. Keith and Matt rushed to support him, Matt catching his arm and swinging it over his shoulder, while Keith supported his right side. Without his prosthetic, he was slightly unbalanced, but they managed to steady him. 

During the scramble to get Shiro stable, and then the overwhelming emotions after, Keith hadn’t even noticed the obvious changes to Shiro. His hair had gone completely, unnaturally white, and his prosthetic was missing. Matt had said that was how they found him, so Keith could only presume that those changes had happened while Shiro was… wherever he went after the fight with Zarkon.

Keith didn’t care about the changes though. He was just glad that Shiro was still alive. 

Shiro groaned and blearily opened his eyes. Keith held his breath. 

“Keith?” he asked, voice weak and raspy from misuse. 

“Shiro,” Keith choked, voice cracking. 

“Come on, let’s move you so you can lie down,” Matt said, gently leading Shiro over to the nearest bed.

“How do you feel?” Keith asked, hands hovering, unsure where to touch. He settled on smoothing Shiro’s hair back, so pale it looked like starlight. He fussed, plumping Shiro’s pillows for him so he could have proper support. 

Shiro rolled his shoulders, what was left of his right arm moving until he winced and reached for Keith’s hand with his left instead. “Sore,” he said, voice rough and raspy, “Stiff. What happened?” 

“We should be asking you that,” Pidge said but smiled at him gently. She handed him a glass of water, continuing after he took a sip. “You had an infection in your leg, but we fixed you up. We’re back on the Blade’s base now.” 

Shiro nodded, gazing around the room. Keith was glad that the Blades base didn't use the same purple as the Empire did, instead favouring a softer colour.

“Shiro,” Keith whispered, “What happened? Where were you?”

Shiro glanced back down at the empty space where his arm would have been. “I- I’m not sure how to explain it,” he took a deep breath. “After Zarkon, I woke up in- in a- well I don’t know where it was. It was full of stars, ones I had never seen before. I walked and walked and then I ran, but I never went anywhere. It was complete and utter nothingness. Then, after, I don’t know, days? Months? Years? A lion appeared, a black lion. _The_ Black Lion. She explained that she brought me to her mindscape, after the fight.”

“She told me that I died, Keith.” 

“No,” Keith gasped, clutching Shiro’s hand tighter to his chest.

Shiro nodded, a strange melancholy look on his face. “I’m sorry, Keith. I died, and the Black Lion saved me. She merged our quintessence so that I could live on, alongside her. But then, the universe needed Voltron again, and Voltron needed Black, and Black needed you, Keith. Once she accepted you, I slowly started to lose my connection to her. She found this body for me, and transported me to Matt, once it became clear that I was going to die, again.” Shiro chuckled, a dry sort of thing. “Don’t ask me how, I don’t understand it either.” 

“Shiro,” Keith whimpered, “You nearly died because of me?” 

“No, Keith, no. I wanted you to become the Black Paladin, I was so proud of you, still am.”

“We’re glad you’re okay, Shiro. We missed you,” Pidge said, squeezing Shiro's calf. Shiro smiled weakly, but his eyes started to flutter.

“Go to sleep, Shiro,” Keith said gently, helping him to lie back. “We’ll catch you up when you wake up.”

Lance fidgeted with his armour, thumb running over a dent again and again. The light was still red and Lance sighed, fighting the impulse to pace. 

“Come on, come on,” he muttered, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Finally, the light turned green and he ducked into the hangar before the door had even opened fully. 

Green’s maw was wide open, four small figures moving slowly down the ramp. Pidge, and someone who looked so identical to Pidge that they could only be their brother, someone with white hair and… 

“Keith!” 

Keith’s head jerked up, looking up from where he was fussing over the white-haired person. He made eye-contact with Lance. 

“Lance!” he cried, darting away from the others, sprinting down the ramp and across the hangar. Lance held his arms open for him, sweeping him up and swinging him around. It felt so good to have his boyfriend in his arms again. Keith’s face tucked into his neck, cold nose pressing into his pulse point, inhaling his scent. Lance’s arms slipped down to the small of his back, squeezing him to reassure himself that he was _here_. Lance pressed a kiss to his wild and dark hair. The close, his scent was near overwhelming, heady and deep. There was a faint underlining of bitter worry to his usual sweetness, but it was clearly hours old. Now, he smelt more relief and happiness, than stress and anxiety.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Lance murmured, squeezing Keith just a little bit tighter. 

Keith snorted, and pulled away, just enough so he could meet Lance’s eyes. “I should be the one saying that, dumbass.” His tone and smile were too sweet and soft for the name to hit its mark. 

“I missed you, kitten.” 

“I missed you too.” 

Lance ran his hands up Keith’s body, one slipping over the nape of his neck to bury itself in his hair, the other cupping his cheek tenderly. Keith shuddered and his eyes slipped shut, his chin tilted up in an obvious demand for a kiss. Lance chuckled but ducked down to indulge him. It wasn’t like he hadn’t wanted to do the same.

A loud cough broke them apart, Lance looking over Keith’s shoulder to see who had separated them. Pidge and their brother had helped the white-haired person closer. The third person finally looked up. 

“Shiro? Oh my god, Shiro!” Lance cried, and Keith pulled back to let Lance hug him. 

“Hi, Lance,” Shiro chuckled weakly. He was leaning heavily on Pidge’s brother and was missing his prosthetic. Lance glanced at Keith, who hadn’t strayed far from his side. Keith gave him a look and nodded towards the door. 

“Oh, yeah!” Lance exclaimed, “We should probably get you to bed, huh? Um, we had to move your room, for, uh, reasons, but we have one set up near to us!” 

“Because of my clone, right? It’s fine, I’ll probably be asleep before my head hits the pillow.” Shiro said, seemingly unphased. Lance’s eyes widened, and he made eye contact with Keith, who just shrugged. 

“Uh, right. Um, anyway, Hunk will probably be by later, he’s getting the Blade’s settled, and Allura and Coran are keeping an eye on everything.”

Pidge, and their brother, Matt, as he introduced himself, insisted on being the ones to help Shiro to his room. Lance and Keith trailed after them like lost ducklings, both unwilling to let go of each other, but also unwilling to stray too far from Shiro.

Shiro being back was amazing, of course it was, but it also brought its own set of worries. Lance wasn’t sure what would happen now. He had spent all these months looking after the pack, and he had come to enjoy it. Some part of him would be reluctant to give it up, but now that the rightful pack leader was back, he couldn’t withhold it from Shiro. It was complicated and confusing, and that was without factoring in Kuron.

Keith’s hand squeezed his, pulling him out of his thoughts. He looked tired and stressed, but happy too. They paused outside of Shiro’s open door, watching as Pidge and Matt settled him into bed. True to his word, he was immediately asleep, leaving the four of them to creep away silently.

Pidge and Matt waved goodbye and walked down the corridor together, no doubt towards Pidge’s workshop. Lance started to head in the other direction, but Keith pulled him towards his bedroom. Once inside, he stopped, grasping Lance tightly by the hand. 

“Um, I have something to tell you,” Keith said, unusually shy. 

Lance raised an eyebrow but turned to give him his full attention. “Is everything okay?”

Keith shrugged; his face hidden by a curtain of dark hair. It was getting longer, long enough that Lance couldn’t call it a mullet anymore. “I- I wasn’t entirely honest with you. Remember Krolia? She’s-“ Keith squeezed Lance’s hand enough to hurt, cutting himself off before starting again, voice noticeably shaky. “She’s my mother.” 

“Oh, baby,” Lance gasped. Keith’s shoulders hiked up, as though scared of Lance’s reaction. Lance gently grasped his jaw, encouraging him to look up. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah, I’m- “ he paused, and slumped, face crumpling so quickly it caught them both by surprise. He tipped forward to press himself into Lance’s chest, hiding his wet eyes from the world. “No.”

Keith shuddered, and his scent darkened into the horrible sourness, so cloy it caught on the back of Lance’s throat. Before Lance could even feel the wetness spreading on his shirt, he had his arms up around Keith, smoothing over his hair and running up and down his back. “Oh, Keith. I’m so sorry. That must have been such a shock.” 

Keith sobbed harder, nodding furiously. His hands came up to clutch at Lance’s shoulders, stretching the fabric of his shirt as he held on for dear life. Lance knew that sometimes, the only thing to do was just cry it out, he only hoped Keith would feel a bit better when it was over. He swayed them gently, cooing and humming in a desperate attempt to soothe him. 

"You're okay, you're okay, sweetheart," Lance whispered, wishing he could take all of Keith's pain away, to absorb it into himself, so Keith wouldn't have to experience a moment of grief or sadness, or fear ever again. But that wasn't realistic, nor was it healthy. The only thing Lance could do was support Keith and be there for him when he needed it. 

Eventually, Keith’s cries grew quieter and quieter, although he didn’t move to pull away from Lance. “Why don’t I stay the night?” Lance asked, leading Keith towards his bed. “I feel like we haven’t seen each other in so long, I’m in desperate need of cuddles!” 

That drew a small smile out of Keith, and he started to stand up. 

“Ah! Bup-bup-bup, you stay right there mister, you’re probably exhausted, just point me in the right direction.” 

Keith groaned and flopped back into his bed. “You know where my pyjamas are Lance, all our rooms are exactly the same. I need to brush my teeth.” 

Lance sighed; a sorrowful and exaggerated thing. "Fine then, brush your teeth you heathen. You’re just trying to ruin all my fun.” 

Keith wrinkled his nose and ducked into the bathroom. Lance opened his drawer, rummaging through to find his red paladin pyjamas. Instead, he found one of his own hoddies and he picked it up with a fond smile. It was one of his softest ones, a beautiful baby blue that reminded Lance of the ocean. It was why he had had it synthesised. It had gone missing shortly after they got together, but Lance guessed that mystery was solved. 

Lance found a pair of soft pyjama pants and lay them out on the bed with his hoodie. He knocked on the bathroom door, letting himself in when Keith replied. They made eye contact in the mirror. Keith’s eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, his cheeks streaked with tear tracks still. Lance ducked down to rummage through Keith’s drawers, pulling out a soft cloth and wetting it with cool water. 

“Here, rest this over your eyes for a few minutes, it should help with the swelling. And drink some water too.” 

“Thanks, Lance,” Keith smiled softly, “I’d be lost without you.” 

Lance snorted, soft and disbelieving, but let it go. Now wasn’t the time for that. 

“Your pyjamas are on your bed, I'm just going to head down to my room to get changed and brush my teeth." 

Keith nodded, and with one last look, Lance left for his own room.

The next morning was a bit of a whirlwind. Keith was happy to see everyone again, but there was so much to update each other on, it was overwhelming. Allura called a meeting over breakfast so that everyone could be on the same page.

Kolivan, Ulaz and Krolia had accompanied them back to the castleship, bringing Romelle and Lotor with them. Lotor had been ordered to remain by Kolivan’s side until the mess with the altean colony was cleared up. Romelle had steered clear of Lotor, and Keith too, sticking close to Krolia. The two seemed to know each other well, as expected considering they were trapped together for star knows how long. 

Keith’s stomach sank every time he saw the two together, and he fought back bitter jealousy. He was the reason Krolia was giving him space at the moment, but he couldn’t help but feel that she had replaced him already, with a sweeter, friendlier - if not defensive - model.

At breakfast, Keith settled into his seat next to Lance. They hadn’t been apart for long after their reunion yesterday, and Keith wasn’t planning on changing that anytime soon. He was deprived of Lance’s soothing touch, and he wasn’t leaving until he had gotten what he was due.

As everybody grabbed their dishes and found seats, Allura stood up to explain what had happened on the castle the last few days. Keith had heard most of it from Lance already, but to hear it from another’s perspective was still shocking.

“We decided to leave Kuron in the cells with minimal medical assistance. The healing pod is not designed to hold people unconscious once they are healed, and we didn’t want to risk him breaking free to roam the castle. He is still unconscious, but Coran is working hard to keep him alive.” 

The room fell into silence, each lost in thought. Keith though, was stuck on one thing. 

“What are we going to do once he wakes up? Because he will wake up. I’m not letting him die again, even if he isn’t Shiro.” 

“According to Coran’s calculations, it will be, at minimum, a movement before he wakes. Whatever we plan to do, we need to decide quickly.” Pidge pulled their glasses off, twisting the screen of their datapad to the side to show Matt the calculations. “However, since Kuron is part galra, it makes these calculations somewhat unreliable. Realistically, he could wake at any moment. Or never at all.” 

“Do we even know if he knows he’s a clone?” Keith asked, stirring his food goo absentmindedly. “How do we find that out?” 

“Kuron- it was like he was two separate people, sometimes. Usually, he was fairly similar to Shiro, if not a little harsher and blunter, but then it was like a switch would flip. When he attacked the Black Lion, it was like he was nearly feral,” Lance said. Keith rested his hand on his thigh and squeezed, sure that he was reliving the traumatizing moments that came after that.

“But is that him forgetting to play the part, or him being what? Mind-controlled?” Hunk asked. The room fell into thoughtful silence, and Hunk groaned. “No! No! This cannot be happening! We are not seriously considering whether Kuron has been mind-controlled or not!” 

“Pidge,” Keith said, choosing to ignore Hunk, “Is there any way to test that?” 

Pidge frowned, pulling up multiple screens. “It would be complicated. I’d need access to his brain waves, gosh, I don’t even know what else. I could take me a while.” 

“But can you do it?” Keith pushed.

Pidge took a deep breath but nodded firmly. “Give me a few vargas and I’ll figure something out.”

Keith grinned, “Good, you're dismissed than. Take Matt with you, he may as well be useful for something.”

“Hey!” Matt cried but winked at Keith as he left the room, following a frantically muttering Pidge.

“Okay, now that that’s sorted, what are we doing about the altean colony?” Keith asked, turning his attention to the galra in the room. They had stayed mostly silent so far, but Lotor was one of their agents.

“Please, Romelle, recount the events to us for the benefit of those who have not heard it from you,” Kolivan asked, and all eyes turned to her. Her cheeks darkened, but she faced them head-on. 

The story she told was exactly as Keith had heard it before. Lotor finding the alteans, the second colony, her brother, the crashed ship. Keith didn’t believe that she was lying, no, the raw grief in her voice was impossible to fake, but something about the story didn’t add up. Although Lotor was not the most trustworthy being in the castle, he had made himself useful to the Blades, and they had begun to trust one another. Why would he hide something like an altean colony from them? More importantly, why would he murder the last of his own people?

Something had happened to those alteans, but Keith was hesitant to blame Lotor. Not without solid proof. The man was willing to open his mind to the team. It was impossible to lie through a mind-meld, impossible to hide memories or thoughts. The team would be able to see exactly what they needed, but it was also incredibly invasive for both parties involved. After all, it was a two-way street. Lotor would have everything laid bare to him, every paladin's weakness, their deepest, darkest fears. Their insecurities. If it became evident that he was lying, it would have already been too late. Lotor would have been handed the tool to take down Voltron in one fell swoop. 

Was it a risk that Keith was willing to take? Was it a risk that _Voltron_ was willing to take?

Keith watched the other’s faces as they heard the tale for the first time, watched as Allura’s face tightened and her eyes hardened. Watched as Hunk turned vaguely green, as Lance grew stock still. As Shiro’s face went blank, masking any and all emotion. As Coran seemed to age right before his eyes.

Keith knew, then, that this would be an uphill battle.

The team didn’t have the same faith or trust in Lotor, and why would they? They had hardly interacted with him. Even Keith didn’t know the man well, but his pack trusted him, and that was enough for Keith. But how could he ever convince his team of it? Would they trust him?

The scent of anger and grief hung heavy in the air. Romelle collapsed back into her chair, obviously emotionally drained. The team looked away as she tried to subtly wipe her eyes. Keith noticed that Allura let her eyes linger on Romelle for a little bit longer, something soft and not-yet-named there. Keith suddenly felt as though he was intruding on some private moment, a moment between a lost princess and her only link to her dying people.

Keith turned his gaze away and found himself drawn to Lotor instead. His silver hair was up in a ponytail, but his head was ducked so Keith couldn’t see his face. It was odd, to see someone as proud as Lotor hiding his face from the world. The comparison between the small, hunched-over man with the arrogant, obnoxious one that Keith had grown to expect was drastic. 

Could this all be a ploy? Was Lotor manipulating him to have pity? Somehow, that didn’t sit right with Keith. Lotor could be manipulative, but Keith doubted that he would lower himself to be pitied, even if it was for some higher plan. The prince was too proud.

“And what do you have to say for yourself?” 

It took Keith a moment to realise that Allura was speaking to Lotor. He had never heard such fury in her voice. Not even when she had spoken of Zarkon, the man who had killed her father in cold blood, the man who had destroyed her entire planet. The man who had started this entire chain of events. Was it false hope? Or was it that she could see him right in front of her, that she finally had someone to direct her anger at?

“Please,” Lotor whispered, finally looking up, glancing around the room to meet each of their eyes. “I know how this looks, but please, believe me. I did not do this. I founded the colony, but it was attacked not long after. I was led to believe that there were no survivors. You forget, Princess Allura, that these are my people just as they are yours. I have lived my life with the knowledge that my father murdered half of my heritage and led the other half on a bloody warpath. I have already spoken to the Black Paladin, but I am willing to undergo a mind-meld. In fact, I insist, if that is what it takes for you to believe in me.”

With those words, Keith’s heart was set. Call him a fool, but he believed Lotor. Something else, or rather _someone_ else, had been using the colony for their own gain. But Voltron was a five-person team, seven including Shiro and Coran. It wasn’t up to Keith.

“I believe him,” Keith said when it seemed like no-one else was going to speak.

“Keith,” Allura hissed, probably furious that he would support Lotor.

“Allura,” Keith replied plainly. Allura was strong-willed and stubborn, but so was Keith. He wasn’t willing to play her games. Keith wouldn’t speak anything but the truth. "I think we should give him a chance. We all know that you can't lie your way through a mind-meld. We'd be able to see his entire life if we wanted." 

“And he would be able to see ours,” Allura said through gritted teeth. A vein in her temple bulged, and Keith was surprised it didn’t burst. He felt his anger surge through his veins, and he closed his eyes, took a deep breath. _Patience yields focus_ , he thought on the exhale. He opened his eyes and met Shiro’s across the table. Shiro nodded with a proud smile.

“I think even the fact that he is willing to reveal his entire life to us should be proof of his innocence.” 

“Unless that’s what he wants you to think,” Lance butted in. Keith turned to look at him, surprised by the intrusion. Lance usually let Allura and Keith battle it out between themselves before he intervened. 

“So what do we do?” Keith asked, “Dispose of one of our most useful allies? Lock him up because we’re- what? Afraid? Something about this colony doesn’t sit right with me. There’s more to this than meets the eye. I trust Lotor. In fact, I volunteer myself to do the mind-meld with him.” 

“Keith! Think about what you’re saying. You are the Black Paladin of Voltron. You cannot let our _enemy_ into your mind like that,” Allura said, standing up with her hands planted on the table. Standing like that, with her hair spilling around her and the cold look on her face, she was the epitome of a powerful and dominating alpha. If Keith were a lesser omega, he would cower at her feet. A small part of him wanted to, but he shoved it back harshly. 

Instead, he stood, refusing to let Allura tower above him. “Lotor is not the enemy. The _galra people_ are not your enemy. You need to remember who your enemy is, Allura, before you start to lose allies for no good reason.” 

Keith and Allura glared at each other across the table. Keith’s eyes traced a single bead of sweat trail down the side of Allura’s face, to drop off her jaw and onto her dress. For a bizarre moment, Keith wondered if he had ever seen Allura sweat outside of training. How weird was that? That a species that were basically extinct thousands of years before humans had even evolved from cavemen were so similar to humans. Bar the markings and ears, and lack of tail, Allura and Coran could easily pass for humans. 

“Hey, hey, hey, maybe we need to take a break? Meet back here in ten minutes, uh, vargas, sorry,” Lance said a hand on Keith’s chest and one stretched towards Allura as though to physically hold them apart. Keith glared at Allura one last time before he sighed and turned away. He desperately needed fresh air, but they were on a castle in space, fresh air wasn’t readily available. 

He walked out of the room and down the hall. Footsteps followed him, and he sped up, frantic just to have a moment to himself.

“Keith!” 

Keith started to speed up but stopped abruptly. Lance was okay. Lance was good. Lance wouldn’t force him to talk or try to convince him to change his mind. 

Keith didn’t say anything once Lance caught up, and Lance didn’t either. Lance had learned that sometimes Keith really just needed silence. 

They sat down in the observation deck gazing at the stars. It was the closest Keith would get to the open skies of the desert. Too soon, they had to go back. The time away had helped Keith calm down, just a little. Just enough.

The tensions had dissipated and everyone seemed less on edge with the break. Keith felt a stab of guilt. He was the leader, he should be relieving tensions, not creating them. He sighed and rolled his shoulders. That argument with Allura was not appropriate, not in front of the Blades, or Lotor and Romelle themselves.

“I need to speak to Voltron, privately,” Keith stood up straighter once everyone's attention was on him. Allura, Hunk and Lance stood from their seats, moving to stand behind Keith. Keith raised his eyebrow when neither Coran nor Shiro moved to join them. “Are you coming? You’re just as much a part of Voltron as anyone else is.”

He led his team into the next room and turned to face them. “Allura, I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier. But I really think that Lotor is telling the truth. Not that I think Romelle is lying, no, there’s something much more sinister going on. I was serious when I said that I would do the mind-meld with him.” 

“I know that you trust him Keith, but none of us do. He’s creepy. He’s had his eye on you from the start. He’s probably betting on your dumb, self-sacrificing heart to volunteer yourself,” Lance said, folding his arms across his chest. 

“What? What do you mean he’s got his eye on me? What the hell?” 

“It’s true!” Lance looked around the team, who all nodded. Hunk, at least, seemed sheepish. 

“Are you serious? You don’t trust him because he ‘has his eye on me’?” 

“Yeah, well, he’s also the son on the worst tyrant to ever live, but you know, let's forget about that.” 

“I’m not stupid Lance! I know that his father has done terrible, indescribable things! I know Lotor himself has done horrible things! But I’m saying that something doesn’t add up here! If you can find concrete evidence that he did it, then fine, but so far, all we have is Romelle’s word against Lotor’s!”

“Lotor thinks you’re some prize to be won or something! Shouldn't we trust Romelle if she says that Lotor is bad?” 

“Romelle is a random woman my mother picked up from god knows where. We’ve been working with Lotor for months! Is this some alpha jealousy thing? Do you think that I’m a weak-willed omega who will sway in the presence of any alpha or tall alien? I am the Black Paladin of Voltron! I don’t need you to protect me!” 

Keith stepped back, panting harshly. “If you don’t trust Lotor, then fine. But don’t you _dare_ try and use me as an excuse."

Keith left his team to stew in his wake, the door sliding shut behind him. He turned to go back to the other room but bumped into someone. He stepped back, startled, and his mood immediately soured when he noticed who it was.

“I don’t have time for this,” he growled and tried to push past Krolia. 

“Keith, please. I think I have a solution.”

“Krolia, are you ready?” 

“Yes.” 

“Lotor?” 

“Ready to have my mind quite literally merged with a stranger’s? Never been readier.”

“Remember, it is easy to get lost. Think, very clearly, of where, and when, you want to go.” Coran leaned away from the mic and opened a little box. “Three, two, one,” he flipped the switch,” and they’re gone.”

Keith stared down from the control room, watching as Lotor and Krolia sat, face to face, with their legs crossed, completely still. “Is,” he paused, struggling to find the words, “anything going to happen.”

“Not until Krolia finds what she’s looking for,” Coran said and leaned back in his seat. Keith could feel the prickling gazes of his teammates on his neck. 

“Right.”

Keith folded his arms, refusing to look away from the training room below. His ears twitched and he fought to keep them still. His shoulders steadily hiking up and up. His eyes kept darting to the corner of his vision, and he fought to keep his gaze away. He couldn’t face his team right now, he was afraid he would lose it. 

He was just so angry. How dare they use him as a reason for their own misgivings. He didn't believe, not for a moment, that Lotor was interested in him, not romantically, or even sexually. And even if he was, he had never made any indication. Keith could handle himself. If Lotor made a move or tried to come onto him, then Keith would tell him, firmly, no. If he didn’t take that as an answer, Keith could take him down with physical force. 

Keith wasn’t an omega-in-distress, who needed their big strong alpha to save him. He didn’t need an alpha, he didn’t want an alpha. Not if that was what having an alpha meant. He loved Lance for who he was, not because he had a knot.

It made him sick to think that the team would even consider that he couldn’t take care of himself, even for a moment.

They didn’t trust him. 

How was he supposed to lead the team if they didn’t trust him?

“How long is this going to take?” Keith asked, huffing impatiently. He tried not to snap at Coran, the man didn’t deserve it. 

“It could be anywhere from a few doboshes to a varga, Number Four.” 

Keith sighed. He couldn’t be in the stifling room, with the searing gazes of his teammates burning a hole in his back any longer.

“Someone call me when it’s over.” Keith left the room, keeping his gaze steadily on the door. He went to find Pidge and Matt instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what my update schedule is going to be like this year. If all the chapters are going to be as long as this one, I might change to every second week instead of every week? I'll aim for 5-10k if that were the case though. I have a handful of other projects that I'd like to keep working on, but I won't have the time if I'm updating this every week with such long chapters. 
> 
> I'm just going to see how this goes, and I'll let you know if anything changes.
> 
> Find me on Twitter!  
> [@starlightsight](https://twitter.com/starlightsight)
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> (Let me know if I missed any tags!)


	2. Curious in Sadness, Curious in Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge, Matt and Keith chat, someone apologizes and someone tells the truth

Keith didn’t lose his sour mood on the walk to Pidge’s workshop. He had hoped that being away from the team’s stares would loosen his tense muscles, but it was like he can still feel them, so many rooms over. He wondered, briefly, if the Lions were also judging him, but he knew Red and Black at least, wouldn’t.

He wished Black’s gift to him, those few moments where he could see the futures, would have been more useful. But it was easier to predict the effects of decisions just after he had come back to himself. With each decision made since then, the futures have become more and more jumbled. He can’t recall this particular one, one where his team no longer trust him, but shouldn’t be surprised that it had happened. After all, what did he expect when he asked the team to trust the prince of the Galra Empire?

He stepped into Pidge’s workshop, Pidge and Matt immediately turning to face him. “That bad huh?” Pidge asked, nose wrinkling in distaste. Matt’s eyes watered, his nose much more sensitive to Pidge’s. Keith felt bad, as he was being hit with the brunt of his bad mood, but there was nothing Keith could do to stop it. He didn’t have access to scent-blockers, not anymore.

“We knew they wouldn’t agree to it right away, Keith,” Pidge said when he doesn’t reply. They turned back to the coding they were doing. It’s true, they had discussed it on the way back to the castle. Of course, they knew getting the team to trust Lotor would be no easy feat, but the reality hurt more than Keith thought.

“They think Lotor joined the Blade as a way to get closer to me or something. Lance called him a creep.” 

That caught Pidge’s attention, “ _That’s_ their problem with it?” 

Keith shrugged, shrinking further into himself. “Apparently.” 

Matt and Pidge exchanged looks. “Jeez, it’s worse than I thought then.”

“Lotor’s never made a move or even indicated he was interested in me. I don’t like being used as an excuse. Of course, I knew the team wouldn’t trust him right away, but now it seems it's me they don’t trust.”

“I don’t really know the team, bar Shiro, but I doubt that’s what’s happening here. They just want to keep you safe, it’s not about whether they trust you or not,” Matt said, stepping away from the desk. “You wouldn’t be able to form Voltron if they didn’t trust you, right?” 

Keith nodded reluctantly, “Yeah, I guess.” 

“They love you and want to protect you. It’s not that they want to lock you up forever, but it’s a pack's natural instinct to want to keep their omega safe. It’s still a shitty thing to do, but it was done out of love, not mistrust.”

“Yeah, take it from me, Keith. When we were captured by the galra, Dad and Shiro both tried their hardest to protect me. It wasn’t because they thought I was weaker, because I’m not – well, okay, maybe a little, but not because I’m an omega. But being omegas makes us targets because people perceive us as weaker. Yeah, it’s great that we can take them by surprise and kick their ass, but our packs want to protect us from that.”

Keith frowned and thought it over. He felt kind of bad for snapping at his team now. “I guess that makes sense.” 

“But don’t you dare apologise to them first. They still shouldn’t have used that against Lotor. Half the damn coalition is interested in you, and it’s never made a difference before,” Pidge said, distracted by their laptop. 

Keith blushed furiously, his ears flicking back. “W-what?” 

Pidge snorted and rolled their eyes. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed? It’s a miracle you and Lance got together!” 

“Keith didn’t know the entire garrison was into him, alpha, beta, omega, male, female or other,” Matt laughed, Pidge joining in when Keith blush deepened. 

“No, they weren’t!” Keith exclaimed, ducking to hide his face, but it was too late.

Matt howled at Keith’s expression, and Pidge nearly fell to the floor. Keith’s comm crackled in his pocket, sobering them quickly. 

“Keith, they’re finished.”

“So Lotor is innocent?” Keith asked as he sat in his seat. He carefully avoided his teams gaze, focusing his entire attention to Kolivan. 

“Yes,” he said, a frown on his lips, “Although that creates more complications for us.” 

“You’re sure?” Allura asked.

“Positive,” Krolia replied. “He truly believed that the colony was destroyed many deca-pheobes ago. He never had any ill intentions with the colony either. He simply wished to save the last of his people.”

Keith tried to reign in his scent, but he was sure it blossomed into something smug and victorious. From Pidge’s giggle and Matt’s elbow into his side, he wasn’t successful but found he didn’t care.

“But now we find ourselves with the arduous job of finding out who, exactly, has been masquerading as Lotor for thousands of deca-pheobes, and why.”

“My bets on the witch,” Pidge muttered and Keith agreed.

“We need to find more information. The Blades are going on several infiltration missions in the coming movement to do just that,” Kolivan said, looking at his datapad. 

“There is one other way, we might be able to find out who is doing this,” Lotor spoke up. All eye’s turned to him, but he didn’t buckle under their gaze. 

“Whoever is doing this shows an extremely high quintessence sensitivity. In fact, they must be able to manipulate it. There are only a few people with the powers to do so.” 

“Druids,” Ulaz muttered.

“Unfortunately, yes. And, as the Green Paladin suggested earlier, Haggar. It would be foolish to go against them. No one here could survive a fight with one, unless they wanted you to, nevermind defeat one.” 

“Where are you going with this,” Allura snapped. 

“Voltron does not currently have the capabilities to defeat the witch in battle. Nor do the Blade’s, nor any member of the Coalition. Not even our combined forces are capable of it,” Lotor said. 

“And I suppose you have the solution, don’t you,” Lance snarked. 

Lotor’s smirk could cut diamonds. “Why, of course.” He turned to make direct eye contact with Allura. “Oriande.”

Keith dropped another stack of books onto the desk. He groaned at the sight of so many books. It was never-ending, from children’s books to academic papers, to conspiracy theories. All about Oriande.

From the most basic of research, Oriande was thought to be altean folklore, although later proved by Alfor himself, to be real. Only alteans baring the mark of the chosen had access. It was the birthplace of altean alchemy, which was the purer form of what Haggar used. However, only those with a good and pure heart could gain knowledge from Oriande. 

Keith sighed and pulled the closest book to him. The rest of the team had offered to help him, but he needed time to himself. Pidge and Matt were still working on Kuron, and Keith sent the rest of the team to train with the Blades. 

Although none were druidic, the Blade’s at least allowed the team to practice fighting against bigger and stronger opponents. Shiro was the only one Keith had let stay with him, and he was curled up in an armchair in the corner, just watching.

Coran had pulled Keith aside to tell him about Alfor’s journals, although he had destroyed most of them to keep them from Zarkon. Alfor had used the knowledge he gained to create Voltron.

Keith didn’t have to do this amount of research, especially since Allura already had all this knowledge, but it was something to distract himself from the string of hurt he still felt when he thought of his team.

Maybe the best option would be to just let Shiro take over, once he recovered. 

Keith shook his head, trying to pull himself out of his thoughts. No, he was the team leader now. If Shiro wanted to come back, then they would discuss it, but until then, Keith had to keep doing his job. He couldn't keep going into this spiral of self-pity and doubt every time he disagreed with the team. 

He knew that he had a different view of the world than his teammates. He took the horrors of war in his stride, as he knew, since he was young, that the world was cruel and dark. Space, it turned out, was not much different. The other’s had grown up believing in the kindness of others, and while Keith couldn’t fault them for that, it didn’t make things easy. 

The world - and the universe too - were held in the palms of people who loved to crush things. 

It was a lesson Keith had learnt not long after his father's death, and it was something he needed to remember. Maybe his team couldn’t see his point of view, but he knew, ultimately, that he had made the right decision. They had to put their personal differences aside to win. Maybe Lotor wasn’t a good person, per se, but he was key to winning this war. Or, at least, he would make things a hell of a lot easier. 

His team probably hadn't meant to insult Keith the way they had. They did want the best for him, just as Pidge said. Keith just needed to remember that. And Keith felt bad for snapping at them, he should have heard them out as a leader should, but they should have trusted them. 

Keith settled into his seat and tried to concentrate on the first book. 

“Keith!” 

The doors to the library slammed open with enough force to slam off the walls and shut again. Keith startled, standing up so quickly his chair fell backwards to the floor. Pidge and Matt stood in front of him, eyes wide and panting.

“It’s Kuron he’s awake.” 

“What? How?” Keith said glancing back at Shiro.

“We think it has to do with his galra DNA. You heal faster than we do, and Kuron heals even faster,” Pidge turning to lead them through the halls. Keith followed them, mind racing. 

“Have you even figured out if he was mind-controlled or not?” Keith asked. 

Matt shook his head. “We were just going to hook him up so we could read his brain waves when he woke.” 

“Fuck,” Keith breathed. Pidge took a turn, leading Keith to an area of the castle he hadn’t explored much.

“He seems disorientated. We aren’t sure if he remembers the attack. And Shiro, I don’t think you should see him yet. If he doesn’t know that he is a clone, he could go into shock. He’s still weak.” 

“What are we supposed to tell him?” Keith asked, “Oh, hey, yeah you kind of lost your mind for a moment there and tried to hack the Black Lion to pieces, and then tried to kill Lance?”

Pidge turned to face him, their face drawn in a grimace. “Maybe not in so many words.” 

With that, they pressed their palm to the door, and it slid open, to reveal the rest of the team. They were all gazing into a window. Keith stepped up to join them, and saw Kuron, lying in a bed, with Coran checking his bandages. Kuron didn’t seem to have noticed the team a few feet from him. Keith gave Pidge an inquisitive look. 

“One-way glass. We can see him, but he can’t see us.”

“Is Coran safe in there?” Keith asked.

“Kuron was given a mild sedative. Not enough to knock him out, but enough to slow him down. Coran is quite safe,” Allura replied. Keith nodded and approached the door. 

“We don’t need to all go in, and he’ll probably respond best to me. If I need you, I’ll let you know.”

He stepped into the room, nodding at Coran. Kuron turned his head but made no other move.

“Hey, Shiro,” Keith said carefully. He stood next to Kuron’s head and grasped his hand, more as a way to prevent Kuron from injuring them than anything. “How are you feeling?”

Kuron swallowed and it took him a few seconds to reply. “Sticky.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Coran. “Sticky?” 

“Yeah, m-stuck.” 

“That is probably the painkillers you’re on, my boy! We also had to give you a mild sedative to make sure you were given the chance to heal properly.” 

“W’append?” 

“You don’t remember?” Keith asked, scrutinising him. He wanted to believe Kuron, he truly did, but he couldn’t risk his team.

Kuron weakly nodded his head and frowned at the ceiling. “I- w’nt t’see Black?” 

“Yeah, you went to see Black. You got into an accident.” 

“How?” 

Keith frowned and squeezed Kuron’s hand. “We’re not sure yet, but Pidge is looking into it.” 

“Oh,” Kuron said. He tried to sit up, but Coran pushed him back. He slumped back into his bed, eyes already fluttering shut. 

“Shiro? Shiro, can you hear me?” Kuron didn’t move. Keith turned to Coran. “How is he?” 

“He shouldn’t be awake at this point in his healing. His body is under intense amounts of stress, it’s a miracle he was awake for as long as he was.”

"Okay. Let me know if anything changes. Thanks, Coran," Keith attempted a smile, but from Coran's face, he was sure it was more a grimace. With one last glance at Kuron, he went back to his team.

They were crowded around Pidge, who had their laptop out. Keith squeezed his way past Hunk so he could see the screen. Keith couldn’t be sure, but those looked like Kuron’s vitals. 

“You were monitoring him?” he asked, although he already knew the answer. 

"Yep, and with this baby, we were able to see if Kuron was telling the truth or not!"

Keith raised a brow, "Like a lie detector? I thought those things only got it right like fifty per cent of the time?"

“I mean, basically yeah, but we have altean technology now!” Hunk exclaimed, “We were able to get a better insight into Kuron’s brain waves, and we can even see his past waves! We can look at his brain activity all the way back to three movements ago!" 

“Holy shit,” Keith muttered. Then, it dawned on him, “Holy shit!!! Is this what you needed to see if someone is interfering with Kuron?”

Pidge turned, their mouth stretched in a mischievous smirk. “Yes! We still have to break down the data, but it’ll only take us a few hours to do that. Hopefully, by the time Kuron wakes, we’ll know everything we need to know.” They turned back to the window, and said, quietly, “He was speaking the truth there though. Whatever happened, he really doesn’t remember.”

Keith sighed, wondering what was going to happen to Kuron. Despite everything that had happened, their arguments and manipulation, the attack on Black and Lance, Keith still didn’t wish ill on Kuron, not unless it became evident that he did those of his own volition. Because, for every moment in between those, Kuron was too similar to Shiro to really hate. Sure, he was harsher, and maybe blunter – too fond of brutal honesty for his own good – but he had Shiro’s good heart, and his own particular kindness. It was why a small part of Keith didn’t want to admit that Kuron had been attempting to manipulate the team. It was too difficult for him to believe that someone so similar to Shiro could be so _evil_.

Keith’s ears twitched. Someone stepped behind him, a hand landing on his shoulder. “Keith, can I talk to you? Alone?” 

Keith stiffened and turned to face who he was most dreading. Lance. “Sure, lead the way.” 

Keith followed Lance into the corridor, and into an empty room a few feet away. 

“Keith, I’m sorry.” 

“I need to apologi-“ They both stopped cold, and stared at each other with wide eyes.

“Wait, why are you apologizing?” Lance asked, incredulous. 

Keith fidgeted and buried his hands into the pocket of his hoodie so Lance wouldn't see. He looked down at his feet. "I should have listened to you guys when you said you didn't trust Lotor, even though I was right. As a leader, it’s my job to-“ 

“Keith, sweetheart, look at me.” Keith’s shoulders hunched, his hair falling into his face. Lance’s fingers slip under his chin, urging him to look up. "I'm sorry. I should have trusted your decision. You are our leader and more importantly, you are my boyfriend. You have more experience with Lotor than anyone else on the team, and that should have been reason enough. Maybe you were right, maybe it was some stupid alpha jealousy getting in the way, but I promise you, I didn't mean to make it seem like I don't trust you because I do. I promise."

Lance held his arms open, not invading Keith’s personal space, but inviting him into his. Keith fell forward, burying himself in Lance’s homely scent. A weight lifted off his shoulders, and he felt lighter than he had in what felt like forever. He hadn't realised how much being at odds with Lance was affecting him.

He knew, going into this, that any personal relationship would be hard. Keith was technically Lance’s senior officer, and the power imbalance wouldn’t make things easy. It sucker, sometimes, to be above Lance in some way, although as pack leader, Lance was above Keith in others. It made things difficult and confusing.

He wished he could have a disagreement with Blue Paladin Lance over work issues, but at the end of the day still come home to his alpha and boyfriend Lance, without the argument interrupting. But it was difficult to separate their work and personal life like that, especially since they lived and breathed the war right now. They didn’t _have_ personal lives. 

“Come on, I think we should call it a day. It’s getting late, how about we grab some food and cuddle in my room?” 

Keith sighed and nuzzled into Lance’s neck. “That sounds amazing.”

Keith spent the next few days jumping from meeting to meeting. Kuron hadn’t woken again, and Pidge and Matt were nearly finished with their work. Meanwhile, plans for Oriande went full steam ahead. Thanks to one of Alfor’s journals, one of the only ones he didn’t destroy, and Coran’s memories, they were able to figure out where the entrance to Oriande was likely hidden.

It lay hidden inside a white hole between three celestial bodies called the Patrulian Zone. The area surrounding it was a literal graveyard, ships destroyed beyond recognition, floating in a dead sea. Coran didn’t dare let the castle get too close. 

Keith didn’t like that the only people allowed into Oriande were Lotor, Romelle and Allura, although Romelle and Allura were even more unhappy. Lotor, for his part, took their obvious dislike within his stride. The three of them made their way to through the graveyard, and the ship fell silent.

Allura had been tenser for this mission, quick to snap and hovering over everyone to make sure that everything was perfect than usual. Keith was happy to let go of the reigns, as even with all his research done, he didn’t really understand Oriande. It was better for someone with experience already - even if it was in the form of a childhood's worth of fairytales – to take over.

Keith supposed it made sense. This was Allura’s last connection with her father. Wouldn’t he do anything to have one last memory of his own dad? What would he give to even visit the fire station he worked at one more time. For months now, possibly even a year, Allura has believed her entire planet and species to be extinct, bar herself and Coran, and now they have found both an altean colony and Oriande. It was where her father gained the knowledge to build Voltron. 

Despite how often Keith and Allura clashed, or maybe it was because of it, they were very, very similar. Both orphaned too young, both angry at the world. Both strong and stubborn. Both pushed people away too often for their own good. However, where Keith turned to training and physical exertion, Allura plotted and planned, reviewing battles upon battles for a way to improve the team.

However, Keith had something Allura would never have. A chance to reconnect with a parent. Krolia had kept her word, giving him as much space as he needed. He wasn’t sure he was ready to let her back into his life, but he didn’t think he ever would. If she was killed tomorrow, would he regret the chance he didn’t take? Or would it be simply another person gone from his life, who barely made a dent? 

He guessed he couldn’t say that Krolia hadn't made an impact in his life. She gave birth to him, for star’s sake, and her departure had hurt him and his father both. His dad had never even attempted to date, from what Keith could remember. 

What would his dad want him to do? Talk to Krolia, try to let her into his life? Or would he understand who difficult it was for him, and how vulnerable he felt every time he looked at his mother?

Keith desperately wanted to think that his dad would tell him not to let Krolia into his life, but he knew his dad. He wanted nothing more than for Krolia to come back to them, and he would probably be upset – while also understanding – if Keith didn’t even _try_.

When Keith was a kid, he used to wish upon the stars that his mom would come home. He wanted his dad to be happy, and he wanted nothing more in the world than to have a mom. But after his dad died, that wish was left forgotten in the dirt. Some small part of him thought she might appear one day, sweep him into her arms and carry him to safety, far, far away from his foster families. But each day in the system saw that dream grow smaller and smaller until there was nothing left of it but bitter resentment.

Shiro had seen potential in him and had given him a small bit of hope, but for himself. He didn’t need a mother. He could become his own person without her.

And now, here she was, so many years later. Nothing like he had ever imagined, his dreams always filled with someone soft, comforting, and decidedly not purple. Krolia was tall and strong, made of iron and ivory. She was a war-hardened soldier. The farthest thing from child Keith’s imagination, but somehow more fitting.

Did who she was really matter anymore? He had made himself into his own person, and he owed her nothing. But would it hurt to try? 

Could he talk to her, if only for a little bit, and see how it goes from there? If it got too much, could he just leave, as she had done to him? 

Could he give her that hope only to rip it away, shredding her heart – and his – in the process?

He stood abruptly, all eyes turning to him. His face burned and his ear’s twitched. “I’m going to the training room. Call me if there’s any update.” Keith left before anyone could reply. 

Although Keith realised that he was far too fond of pushing himself until he collapsed, the training room was one of the only places he could work through his thoughts. He couldn’t explain it, but something about pushing himself to his limits, seeing his improvement, sweating and gasping for air helped him think things through, and he desperately needed it. He felt a little clearer after beating a few bots to a pulp.

He realised that if something were to happen to Krolia tomorrow, he would regret not even giving her a chance. So many people would kill to be in his position, to have a parent still alive. He had to take this chance, if only for the people like Allura in the universe. He only needed to gather his courage. 

The worst thing that could happen would be that Krolia was genuinely a horrible person. If that happened, Keith could just cut her out of his life again. Best case scenario? Well, he gains a mother. 

He didn’t know which option scared him more.

Keith left the training room and into the adjacent changing room. He dumped his stuff onto a bench, grabbing his towel and soaps. His shower was hot and satisfying, melting him into a puddle. The room quickly filled with steam. He knew he needed to get back to the control room soon, but he just wanted a few more moments to himself. 

He realised that he couldn’t keep putting the conversation with his mom off. Nothing was going to change, and they were in the middle of a war. There was no time like the present. His mind made up, Keith stepped out of the shower to dry off and head to the control room. He’d check up on his team, and then hopefully Krolia would be available to talk. 

He didn’t even know what he wanted to say, or what he wanted her to say, but Keith was ready – as ready as he’d ever be – to talk to her now.

Keith presumed since he hadn't been called, that everything was going okay in the control room, and he was right. Most of the rest of the team had left as well, bar Coran who was monitoring everything from the command station. Keith checked if he needed any help, but was waved off. 

He found himself meandering the halls, at a loss for where to search. He didn’t know Krolia, her habits, her mindset. The castle was a big, big ship, and Keith was just one small human-galra.

He decided that his pack would have the best idea of where she was, given that they knew here well. He didn’t bother knocking once he reached their room since they had previously told him it was just as much his room as it was theirs.

Keith stepped into the room and his pack looked up from where they were lounging in the nest. It took Keith a moment, but he realised there was an extra person. Just the person he was looking for. 

But, under so many eyes, he lost his nerve and sheepishly started to back away. He was sure Krolia wanted to spend time with her pack, as they had been hers first, and he didn’t want her to feel like she had to leave. 

“Ah, sorry! I’m just going to um- I’ll just go.”

“You can stay, Keith. I don’t mind,” Krolia said softly. Keith paused and pulled at his shirt. This would be a good opportunity to get used to Krolia’s presence, but with a protective barrier between them. He hesitantly stepped into the nest, looking around for a good spot. He found a little divet in the bedding and flopped down. Kolivan was in between him, Ulaz and Krolia, his massive bulk making it easy for Keith to pretend it was just the two of them, even with the scent of the others giving them away.

Ulaz smelt of luxite, as all the Blades did, but with a strong undertone of antiseptic. He spent most of his time in the med-bay, even here on the castle, and the scent had become a part of him. Kolivan smelt like old books, dusty but not unpleasant. Krolia, somehow, despite their distance and time apart, smelt the most familiar to Keith. He couldn’t put a name to it, bar warmth and home and love. 

He buried his nose into Kolivan’s chest when he started to feel overwhelmed. It was sad, after all this time, the hurt and abandonment, he still felt comfortable and safe in her presence. He let Kolivan’s smell swarm his senses, as he was safer. 

His eyes started to flutter shut, relaxed and content after his training session. _Just a short nap,_ he thought. He knew Kolivan would wake him up if he was needed.

He didn’t manage to have that conversation with Krolia, but maybe it was for the better. They had plenty of time to catch up, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be able to update next week, so hopefully the next chapter will be out on the 21st of January!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Honey And Wildfire Are Both The Colour Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith finally talks to Krolia, and they confront Kuron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's violence in this chapter, let me know if you think I should update the tags. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Keith woke an indistinguishable amount of time later. He blinked, eyes bleary, disorientated. His internal clock was usually good, but the dimmed lights threw him off. He didn't know if he'd been asleep for minutes, hours, or years. He was tucked under a heavy blanket that smelt strongly of Antok, which must have been brought with them from the base. 

He huffed and stretched, tail unfurling from where it had been wrapped around his upper body. His dark fur lay messily, spiked every which way, and Keith ran a hand through it in a futile attempt to flatten it. 

Belatedly, he remembered that he wasn’t alone in the nest and looked up. The others were all awake, although wrapped up in their own things. Both Ulaz and Kolivan were working on their datapads, the blue lights from the screens illuminating their faces. Krolia was hunched over something that Keith couldn't make out in the darkness. None of them had noticed he was awake yet, but he didn’t mind. He needed a few more moments to feel human again – or well, human-galra.

He slumped back into his spot, pulling the blanket up to tuck under his nose. Each inhale brought the scent of his pack – and Krolia – which lulled him into a doze sooner than he would have liked. He was exhausted, but then again, he was always exhausted. What he wouldn’t give for a cup of coffee right now.

His eyes started to flutter shut, but he forced himself upright again, drawing on some tremendous willpower he didn’t know he had stored. His body desperately wanted to go back asleep, but he couldn’t. He had work he needed to be doing, and taking the first nap was bad enough. 

His movement drew Kolivan's attention, who was closest, and he looked up from his datapad. “Good rest, kit?” he asked, with a fond smile. Keith huffed, blowing his hair out of his face. He didn’t need a mirror to know his cheeks were burning.

"It was good, yeah," he answered begrudgingly, "How long was I..?” 

“Not so long, about thirty doboshes.”

Keith groaned, and stretched again, his spine realigning itself with a series of satisfying pops. All three of the Blades winced at the sound, and Keith smiled. He forgot that galra couldn’t do that. Reluctantly, he pulled the blanket off himself and shivered as his skin met the cool air.

“Has there been any word from Allura?”  
“None yet, although Coran assures us that all three are safe,” Ulaz replied, setting his datapad aside. 

Keith hummed and pulled himself to stand. “Okay, I should probably go check myself anyway. See you later?” He started to walk towards the door but paused when he saw Krolia. He had forgotten his original reason for coming here. “Um- Krolia, are you busy?”

Krolia startled, turning her eyes to meet his. “Not at all. Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, uh- walk with me?” 

Krolia nodded and Keith awkwardly waited for her by the door. _This is a good thing_ , he repeated to himself, although it didn’t really feel like it. Despite his determination to get to know her, the prospect of inviting her into his life, not just as a fellow Blade but as his mother, terrified him. 

Together, they walked through the halls, in no particular direction. Krolia seemed to be waiting for him to speak first, and Keith didn’t know if he was grateful or frustrated. He guessed the best place to start was the beginning. 

"Dad died a long time ago, when I was six," Keith started. He guessed that this was the information Krolia would want most, if she loved his dad half as much as he loved her. "There was a fire, he was saving a little kid but he died of smoke inhalation a few days later. Since Dad didn't have any other family, and they couldn't find you, I was put into foster care." 

He heard Krolia’s gasp, but staunchly refused to meet her gaze. He couldn’t bear to see the pity, or worse, grief, there.

“Oh, Keith, I’m so-“ 

Keith jerked his head up, gaze sharp enough to cut glass. “No! Don’t you dare apologize! If you truly believe that you left for the greater good, then you can’t apologise!” He clenched his fists, his entire body tense. He panted. Keith closed his eyes and took a deep breath, slowly relaxing his muscles. He couldn’t snap at her every time she said something, it wasn’t fair. “Don’t apologize for something that had nothing to do with you. You didn’t kill Dad, you couldn't have known that I was in the foster system. You don't have anything to apologize for." 

Krolia paused but nodded. He took a moment to look at her, to really see at her. To see where she looked like him, or rather he looked like her. Which of his features came from her? Beneath the purple, they were frighteningly similar. He wondered if people who saw them together would be able to easily guess that they were mother and son. The only bit that he had from his dad was his colouring and his eyes. Even his hair grew oddly as hers did. Keith refused to believe that she had deliberately given herself a rat’s tail.

“Why don’t you tell me about yourself?” Krolia asked. Keith was glad to move to safer territory. 

“Well, I’m the Black Paladin, and a Blade. I-“ 

“About yourself, Keith. Not what you are. _Who_ you are.”

Keith paused. Who was he? He had always been measured by what he could give, what he could do for people. Money, sex, children, leadership. But who was he in his heart and soul?

“Dad and I used to go stargazing,” he said even though he didn’t know where he was going with it. “He used to say that you were a gift from the stars, and I was too. I guess he meant literally, but I was always obsessed with mythology, and space. I used to think I was a demigod or something, I guess I wasn’t that far off,” Keith chuckled weakly, surprised when Krolia joined him. Even their laughter was similar. 

“Um, Lance – the blue paladin – he’s my boyfriend. We started courting a few months ago, but with the war, it’s been difficult,” Keith said.

“Yes, I can imagine it would be. Your father explained dynamics to me, the whole thing seems a bit pointless to me, but it did help me understand why Ryan acted the way he did, at times. I can’t imagine that a relationship would be easy to balance with the war,” Krolia said, and the two fell into a natural silence. 

As sad as it was to say, Keith didn’t remember his father too well anymore. It had been – what? At least twelve years now? Time was so easily lost in space, but Keith would say that been here for at least a year now. Stars, was he eighteen already? Maybe even nineteen? It didn’t bear thinking about.

As a child, Keith had always put his dad on a pedestal and got away with it because he was so young. His daddy was a superhero in his eyes, he was so fun and cool. Now though, Keith could appreciate that his dad probably hid a lot from him. Being a fireman and raising a kid, a half-alien kid no less, was undoubtedly exhausting. He wished he could have gotten to know his dad as an adult. 

Although, if Keith’s dad was still alive, Keith’s life would have looked very, very different. Would he have ever met Shiro? Or gone to the Garrison? Would he still be on Earth, while the rest of his team fought for their lives?

He shook his head. There was no point in wasting time thinking about what-ifs. 

“I can’t make any promises, but I want to get to know you. It’s what Dad would have wanted,” Keith stood in the middle of the corridor and turned to face Krolia. Krolia smiled, something too soft and tender for Keith to really feel comfortable with. He looked away.

The intercom crackled. “Everyone, the Princess and her companions have returned!”

Keith and Krolia made surprised eye contact and turned to head back to the control room, where the rest were undoubtedly meeting.

Romelle and Allura did most of the explaining once everyone had gathered. They had more spark to them then Keith had ever seen, excitedly chattering over and at each other while Lotor stood back. Eventually, they managed to discern that Lotor had not passed the trials, although Romelle and Allura did. They had unlocked the secrets of Oriande, and even if they had been able to share what they had learnt, Keith was sure he wouldn’t have understood a thing anyway.

With Allura’s return, she brought not only knowledge of altean alchemy, but the confidence that she could confront Kuron. Keith wasn’t going to be the one to stop her. 

Kuron had woken up far more coherent this time and was stable enough to hold a decent conversation. The plan was to ask him about the altean colony, reveal that they know that he was a clone, and pray that it worked. It wasn’t the best of plans, but it was the best that they had under such little time. The longer Kuron lay locked up, the more suspicious he would be, the more suspicious the witch would be. They couldn’t afford for the witch to crack down on them right now, they needed to take her by surprise. 

Keith and Allura were to go into the room, with the rest of Voltron watching outside. They couldn’t fit too many people into the room, but the two of them had the best chance of taking Kuron down if he decided to attack.

Kuron sat up in his bed when they walked in. Seeing him now, it was so obvious how different he was to Shiro. Keith wondered how the witch ever thought that he could fool them. His eyes were different, colder, and harsher, a deep brown rather than Shiro’s hazel. He didn’t even smile in greeting likely aware from their posture that this was not a friendly visit. Keith waited by the door, willing to let Allura take the lead.

“Shiro,” she started, “We know that you are a clone.” Keith blinked, surprised with Allura’s bluntness. Usually, she was much more diplomatic, but Keith could appreciate that she wanted to get straight to the point.

Kuron’s brows furrowed. His ears tilted back. “What are you talking about?” he said, eerily calm for someone who had just been told that they were a clone. Unless he already knew, Keith mused.

“We knew from the minute you landed here that you were a clone. We want to know why you were sent, and what the witches plans are.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Allura, please, I swear to god!” 

“I don’t know of this god you swear to, but he will not save you from this. What were Haggar’s plans.”

Kuron turned his attention to Keith. “Keith, please. Tell Allura that I don’t know what she’s talking about,” he pleaded and Keith nearly believed him. But while Kuron’s voice played the part, his face didn’t. Blank and emotionless, he looked as though he was sitting in a boring meeting, not being accused of being a spy, and a clone.

Keith stared blankly ahead, refusing to make eye contact with him. _This isn’t Shiro_ , he reminded himself, _the real Shiro is sitting just on the other side of this door._

“You can drop the innocent act. Do you really believe that the real Shiro would attack his teammates over the Black Lion?”

“Attack? What?” Kuron asked. He sounded so confused. Keith couldn’t take it anymore. 

“You attacked the Black Lion when she refused to accept you, and then Lance when he didn’t submit to you. You nearly killed him.”

“No! I didn’t! I’d remember if I did something like that!” Kuron cried.

“Cut the quiznack,” Allura growled. “I won’t say it again. Tell us what the witches plans are!”

“I promise you, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Allura sighed and lifted her chin. “Fine. You leave me no other choice. Shiro, come in.” Keith turned to look at the door, in tandem with Kuron. He didn’t think Allura was going to bring Shiro in, and from the look on Shiro’s face, he didn’t either. Keith shifted to stand a little in front of him. 

In an instant, Kuron’s whole demeanour changed. He snarled, and even without an alpha’s scent, it was intimidating. Feral, almost. Keith’s hackles raised and he bared his teeth.

“I see you force my hand, Princess,” Kuron said, only it wasn’t Kuron. His voice twisted and darkened. It reverberated off the walls, growing louder and louder until it was nearly deafening. Although Keith could see Kuron’s mouth move, the voice came from all around them. Kuron slowly stood, his eye’s now glowing yellow. 

Keith shoved Shiro back towards the door and summoned his bayard. Allura’s turned into a lance, and she held it steady in front of her. Kuron advanced. His arm lengthened, fingers becoming claws, claws turning purple. Veins of quintessence ran up his arm and under his shirt. Keith could see them creeping up his neck. 

“Shiro! Get out of here!” Keith cried when he noticed Shiro hadn’t moved. He shoved Shiro again, but noticed the door was jammed. “Fuck!” 

Kuron took a swipe at Allura, and she ducked. His claws left deep gashes in the wall, the horrible squealing of metal-on-metal adding to the chaos. Allura smacked the back of his knees, and he fell, but picked himself back up, unphased. 

Keith stood in front of Shiro, who had no weapon, no way of protecting himself. He was still struggling to adjust to life with only one arm. He saw Shiro bracing out of the corner of his eye, but knew that Shiro wouldn’t have a hope against Kuron. Keith wouldn’t let him near Shiro.

Allura struck Kuron across the face, and the crack echoed through the room. Kuron’s head twisted to back to face her, a bruise already blooming across his face. He smiled, with too many teeth, pointed and sharp.  
Every hit Allura managed to land had no effect, until Keith was forced to step in. If they couldn’t stop him, they could at least overpower him until the others figured something out. 

The two worked together to try and push Kuron back, months of training together finally paying off. Their bond flared between them, allowing them to swing in tandem. At the edge of his consciousness, he could feel the others fear and panic and fury, but also, determination. They could do this.

Kuron kept attacking, and Allura and Keith did all they could to deflect. His arm, however, grew bigger and bigger, until it looked more like an overgrown, horrific shadow than the metal it had been before. None of their hits had any effect, and Kuron seemed to be getting stronger and stronger.

“Keith!” Allura cried, “We need to get his arm!”

Keith nodded, and swung at it, twisting away from a hit that would have cleaved him in two. He swung his bayard at it, but it got lodged into his bicep. Keith lost his grip on it, and fell forwards. 

“Shit,” he muttered, and hauled himself upright. Allura distracted Kuron, and Keith jumped forwards, trying to use his body weight to dislodge the blade. Instead, Kuron grabbed him by the neck. Keith’s back slammed into the wall, all the air flying out of him with a whoosh. He struggled, hands clawing at Kuron’s.

He couldn’t see anything but Kuron’s face, Shiro’s face, sneering down at him, his face twisted into something ugly, his eyes glowing galra yellow. His hand dropped to his waist, the other one pushing at Kuron’s chest. 

He grabbed his Marmora blade, and in one quick movement, severed Kuron’s arm from his body. His eyes widened in shock, and then he slammed forward, dropping Keith. 

Behind him, his own eyes wide, stood Shiro, a chair raised in front of him. They stared at each other for a long second. Keith gasping for air, and rubbing his tender neck. 

Allura bustled forward, crouching down to make sure Kuron was unconscious.

Too late, the others burst into the room, armed and ready. They stopped, lowering their weapons when they saw Kuron on the floor. Only Romelle moved forward to kneel at Kuron’s side.

“What the fuck just happened?” Lance exclaimed.

Keith sank onto the floor, resting his weary head for just a few, precious seconds. Kuron had been rushed to the medbay, his quintessence dropping dangerously. From readings Pidge got, as well as Romelle and Allura's knowledge of quintessence, it became clear that Kuron was being controlled by Haggar, his arm giving her access to his brain. It made the decision to save him easier. With the arm gone, it meant that Kuron was no longer a threat. 

Something settled in Keith's heart at the news, because, despite who awful Kuron could be, he had times where he was so similar to Shiro, it physically hurt. Keith couldn't have let them kill him, it just didn't sit right with him.

Lance had persuaded Keith to rub some anti-bruising cream onto his throat, although the damage was already done. His voice was wrecked, and it was painful to talk, but he refused to go into a pod. The thought of something _else_ happening while he was unconscious sent fear striking through his core.

No thanks, not unless he was on the verge of death. 

Keith opened his eyes when he heard approaching footsteps. He smiled, weakly, when Lance settled beside him and slung an arm around Keith's shoulders. Keith cuddled into his side, grateful for the warmth and safety his alpha brought with him. 

He couldn't imagine how terrifying it must have been for Lance, to be locked outside and have to watch as Kuron handed them their asses. He would have attacked the door in blind fury and panic, probably doing more harm than good.

"Allura wants to have a meeting about Kuron before he wakes, but I managed to put her off for a few hours." 

Keith sighed and reached for Lance's hand, squeezing gently to convey his gratefulness.

Lance squeezed back. "Don't ever do that to me again, baby." 

It was a promise Keith couldn't make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I was talking to some of you, and I mentioned that Kuron would be his own, eviler person, but then I was thinking about how badly he was treated in the show, I mean they just killed him off and never mentioned him again, so I changed my mind about it! Sorry if you were here for Super-Evil-Kuron! 
> 
> He's just a big puppy and I love him.
> 
> Also, I think I'm abandoning my Wednesday update schedule. Things are a bit hectic atm, and I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up. I'm also suffering from writer's block, which is why this one's late, and it's shorter too. Sorry about that. I'll try to get a chapter up every two weeks, maybe even every week, but I can't promise what days it'll be or anything.


	4. Trust Your Heart If The Seas Catch Fire, Live By Love Though The Stars Walk Backward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this hanging around since January with the intention of fleshing it out and add more, but I feel so guilty over leaving you hanging for a month, so please, take this. It's not great, but it's better than nothing? Right?
> 
> Read the end notes for more information! I hope you enjoy!

The team decided to give Kuron the benefit of the doubt. He would be allowed to stay in the castle, not as a prisoner, but as part of the team, if he wished. Coran was delighted to have someone to help him. Keith felt bad that he had been drafted in for maintenance, but it was the safest and most comfortable option. Coran would be able to keep an eye on him, although they hoped that it wouldn’t be needed, and it would give Kuron something to do. It was far better than any of the other options. 

All in all, it had been one of the quickest meetings of Voltron’s short life. It seemed nobody was willing to abandon or even kill Kuron, despite all the pain and hurt he had caused him. 

Keith himself had had very little to do with the decision. His throat and voice were still healing. Speaking, eating and sometimes even breathing was incredibly painful. Pidge had messed with his datapad and managed to get it to project whatever he typed out for the others to read, but it was more hassle than it was worth sometimes. By the time he had finished typing out a sentence, the team had already moved onto the next topic.

It was frustrating, but he didn’t complain. He was the one who refused to go into the healing pod, after all.

It was easier to have one-on-one conversations, thankfully, so Keith wasn’t completely isolated.

Allura had called another meeting, and Keith went to gather the rest of the paladins up. First though, he wanted to check up on Shiro. Keith was worried about him. He had been quiet and withdrawn, speaking only when spoken too, especially since the fight with Kuron. Nobody had expected him to be right as rain after that, but Keith was still worried. He couldn’t imagine what it must be like to find out you have a clone, an evil clone no less, and to watch it attack your friends.

He found Shiro in the medbay, standing in front of Kuron’s pod. His scent was heavy, and he didn’t make any indication that he heard Keith approaching. Keith gently lay a hand on his shoulder, but he startled. 

“Keith,” he gasped, “You scared me.” 

“Sorry,” Keith typed and pulled his hand away. “I just wanted to check up on you. How’re you doing?” 

Shiro didn’t say anything for a moment. He glanced down where his right arm used to be. “I’m fine, Keith. It’s just weird.” 

Keith shifted, deleting his last message and typing a new one. “The clone or the arm?” 

“Both, I guess. Even though I lost my arm back in the arena, I wasn't without an arm for more than a couple of minutes. Does that make sense?” 

Keith nodded, “Yeah, like you didn’t have your human arm anymore, but you still had two arms.” 

“Yeah,” Shiro sighed, “And this whole business with Kuron, I don’t even know what to think. I feel a bit numb to it, you know? It’s just too bizarre, although I was literally captured by aliens, crash-landed on Earth and was shot back into space in a massive Blue Lion, so I guess I should be prepared for anything.”

Keith huffed and shook his head. “Space somehow is exactly how I imagined it, and nothing at all like it.”

Shiro laughed, although it was weak and grim. “My greatest hopes and worst nightmares.” 

They fell silent, watching the slow rise and fall of Kuron’s breath. The pod whirred every now and again, but Kuron wasn’t due to be released for another few quintents.

“I’m scared that- that I am a clone too. How do we know that I’m not? How do we know that the Shiro who crash-landed on Earth wasn’t just a clone too?”

Keith paused. He couldn’t lie, he had had the same thoughts. On the nights where he couldn’t sleep and his brain just kept spiralling, he wondered if Shiro – the real Shiro, the one who took Keith under his wing, introduced him to hoverbike racing, got him into the garrison – was even still alive.

“We don’t know,” Keith replied because Shiro always knew when Keith lied to him. “But if you feel like you’re Shiro, then you are. And if you are a clone, and the original is still out there, then we’ll find him. But whatever happens, I won’t give up on you.” 

“Even if there are thousands of me out there?”

“Even if there are billions.”

Shiro laughed, “God, we’d need a whole planet just for me.” 

“Come on, Allura wants to hold another meeting, and we don’t want her to send a search party after us.”

With Kuron still in stasis, the team that they needed to check out the altean colony. Lance was sure Allura, Coran and Romelle were eager to see the alteans, but he prayed they weren’t getting their hopes up. Something sinister was going on, and it was Voltron’s job to protect them. They didn’t know what was happening to the alteans on the second colony. Whatever it was though, it couldn’t be good.

Due to its location, the team couldn’t wormhole there directly, nor could they use it to travel the last leg of the journey. It was just too big, so the team elected to use the lions instead

Lance was settling into the pilot’s seat of the blue lion when Keith popped up on the screen in front of him. 

“Everyone good to go?”

“Yup.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Ready for take-off.” 

One by one, the other paladins appeared on the screen and replied until it was just Lance left. But, he was frozen. Behind him, the sound of metal-on-metal echoed through the cabin. Sweat gathered on the nape of his neck.

Keith frowned and leaned forward. “Are you okay Lance?” 

Lance laughed nervously. “Absolutely a-okay babe! Let’s get this show on the road!”

Keith scrutinised him for a moment but sighed. “Okay team, let’s get going.” The screens shut off.

The noise behind him quietened, and Lance exhaled slowly.

“You’re very tense,” Krolia said, right in his ear. Lance shrieked and jumped out of his seat, tail poofing to twice its size. Krolia smirked at him, and at that moment, it was like looking at a Keith from another life. How he didn’t immediately see the resemblance between them, he didn’t know.

“You’re sharpening a knife right behind me!” he exclaimed, gesturing wildly. 

“Do knives make you nervous?” Krolia asked, innocently twisting her blade to reflect the light of Blue’s cabin off it. She raised an eyebrow when he didn’t answer.

Luckily, Keith cut them off before she could mess with him any further. “Lance, where are you? We’re waiting outside.” 

“Coming Keith!” he cried, and sat back into his seat, racing to catch up with the others. 

Since they were taking the Lions, the other’s had been split up between them. Romelle insisted on going with Allura, Ulaz went with Hunk, Kolivan with Pidge while both Shiro and Lotor went with Keith, leaving Krolia with Lance. He was absolutely terrified of her.

Thankfully, she was quiet for most of the journey. The altean colony was located in the centre of the quantum abyss, and the lions needed to follow a strict path to it. Krolia had explained, earlier, that if they slipped off it, by even a few centimetres, the Lions could be destroyed. If, by some small chance, they survived, time would distort. What would be only minutes for the paladins on the path, could be months, even years for the paladins off it. It wasn’t a risk Lance was going to take.

“Woah,” Keith gasped over the comms.

“Wh-“ Lance started before he saw them too. 

“Space whales!” Hunk exclaimed. And he was right. What looked like huge whales were floating through space right in front of them. Each bigger than a planet, they looked to have a whole world on their backs with plants, mountains, even lakes.

“They’re so big, they seem to have their own atmosphere and gravitational forces!” Pidge exclaimed. 

“Wow, that’s so cool,” Lance said. 

“Don’t get distracted paladins,” Kolivan said, “Remember, even a seconds lack of concentration could be detrimental.”

Soon enough, they left the whales behind them and were approaching the colony. It stood out like a diamond among coal, the only planet in the area that was vibrant and colourful.

“That’s it,” Romelle said. Lance couldn’t imagine how she must be feeling. On one hand, this was where she grew up, but on another, where her family was taken from her and killed.

“I can’t believe it’s still here,” Lotor said softly. Lance doubted he even meant to say it out loud. Lance didn’t like the man being too close to Keith, but he trusted Keith. Keith could take him down, if it came to it. The jury was still out for Lotor’s true intentions, but at least they knew he wasn’t lying about this.

Romelle directed them to land in a clearing in a densely forested area. It was impossible to land five lions discretely, but at least they would be hidden from view here. Lance stepped out of Blue with his bayard up and ready. Krolia too had her sword drawn, and Lance was sure, a hundred other knives stashed on her person, all ready to go.

He could see the other’s leaving their lions in the same manner, cautious and ready for a fight. The clearing was quiet, the sound of running liquid nearby and strange animal calls, but no sign of alien life. After a few seconds, Keith nodded and lowered his bayard. The others copied him, and they met up in the middle.

Romelle practically bounded towards them, gleefully pointing out any landmarks she noticed. 

“Romelle,” Krolia said gently, “Could you lead us to whoever runs this place?”

Romelle nodded and walked into the forest, the rest of the group following her in a loose line. Keith hung back so he could keep an eye on everyone, and Lance waited with him. They walked side by side for a few minutes.

“How’s your throat?” Lance asked quietly. Keith had finally been allowed to use his voice again, but it was still hoarse and scratchy. It sounded painful.

“It’s fine,” Keith grunted and batted a branch out of his face. “I think we have more important things to be worrying about right now though.” 

Lance huffed, and turned to face him, walking backwards. “Nothing's more important than-“ 

A scream cut them off, high and mournful. They rushed forwards, pushing past the other paladins who had come to a halt. Romelle knelt on the ground, her face streaked with tears. Allura and Coran knelt next to her, trying to console her but both were pale-faced and stricken.

Lance turned his attention to the clearing ahead of him.

“The village,” Keith murmured, “It’s gone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry for the unexpected hiatus! I got a job!! Yay!! But also noooooo there goes all my writing time ;-; On top of that, I just haven't been motivated for this fic anymore. I had a self-identity crisis over it, I think, since it hit like 100k reads on the other site, and I started to wonder how much of the plot was what I actually wanted to write or if it was what I thought readers wanted and ahisdhf it was just a mess.
> 
> Anyway, updates are probably going to be sporadic, but I promise I am not, and will never, abandon this work!!! My motivation is slowly coming back!
> 
> Thank you for bearing with me! <3


	5. The end

So, I'm just going to cut right to the chase. I'm going to leave this fic incomplete. I know, I promised I wouldn't. I know how disappointing it is, as a reader, to invest in a fic and it's never finished. Trust me, however you feel about this right now, I feel even worse. I'm going to go into a lot of detail about how I've reached this decision, which you absolutely don't have to read, but I feel like I owe you guys. But before I get into that, I'm just going to let you know that I have a small snippet of the next chapter, and I'll type up my notes and general plan for this fic so you can see where it was going.

I got into Klance before I had even watched the show. It was early 2018, I think, by the time I watched Voltron. My relationship with Klance has been rocky, I guess every since.

At first, I was absolutely enamoured with them. I adored Lance particularly, but after a few weeks, Keith really struck a chord with me. I won't go into details, but 2018 and 2019 have been some of the hardest years of my life, and they were my sanctuary during it.

There was a time once, where I would read absolutely anything as long as Klance was in it.

But, as time went on, I started seeing takes I didn't like. I didn't like the fandoms general view of Lance, I didn't like how Keith was always an absolute asshole in fics. For a while, I persevered, but I realised, "why am I reading fics I don't like?". So I stopped. It helped me fall back in love with them, since I was now reading fic that I actually liked, with characterisations that I enjoyed.

But, and I'm sure we all know this, the Klance fandom, as a whole, can suck. It can be really, really toxic, especially for me, as a multishipper, and even worse, a sheith multishipper. I avoid the fuck out of most other Klance shippers because I don't feel safe with them.

I joined twitter about a year ago, and joined the sheith fandom, which is full of truly some of the most amazing, inspiring, creative, loving and caring people I have ever met. Even if I didn't particularly like the ship, I would stay for the people, which is the complete opposite of how I feel with the Klance fandom. Sure, not everyone's perfect in the sheith community, but they're welcoming, and kind, they have a solid grasp of boundaries, and tags. They don't judge you for what you like or don't like, even when they don't understand.

Since joining the sheith fandom, I've come to realise what a fandom should be like. I'm not scared to post fic there because I trust them.

I am scared to post Klance fic, because I'm always wondering if this is the one that gets me 'noticed' as a multishipper, and makes me a target. It's terrifying to see people getting death threats over a ship, or worse. I've been part of fandom for at least seven years now, and Klance really was the worst of it. I've never seen anything like it. Even though a large part of the fandom was 'good', there's still anti's lurking around the corner. 

And since then, my relationship with Klance has only declined. I get most of my 'bad' comments on Klance fics. If I stumble across a Klance shipper on twitter, I run the other way. It's horrifying to be afraid of your own people.

I think though, mostly, I am not the same person I was when I started shipping Klance. The things I saw in them then, aren't things I see or need or relate to anymore. I'm an adult now, and the ship seems almost juvenile to me. (That isn't to say that anyone who ships them is a kid, or that the moment you turn 18 you are no longer allowed to ship them, of course not. I've just moved to a different phase of my life now. I take comfort in different things. I need different things)

I do still read Klance, there are some authors who I adore and I love their writing, but I'm much more comfortable as a supporter of Klance, than a creator.

So that leaves me with a huge fic for a ship that I don't particularly want to write anymore. For a long while, I insisted I wouldn't be one of 'those' authors who abandons a fic halfway through. I know how much that sucks for readers, it's disappointing and frustrating.

But it's even worse for me. This is something that I've been thinking about for months now. It isn't a decision I've taken lightly. I just don't have any passion for this fic anymore. I contemplated, for a while, trying to cut out several scenes and shortening the fic considerably, but it just wouldn't have been a satisfying ending, for you or for me.

I've reached the stage now, where whenever I try to write, I can't because I feel too guilty that I'm not writing this fic. I've barely written anything in months. It's not fair, I hate it. Writing has become a huge part of who I am, and trust me, if I thought I could continue writing this fic, I wouldn't be sitting here now.

I'm embarrassed and ashamed, and most of all, disappointed in myself.

Saying goodbye to this fic is like ripping a chunk of my heart out. It's saying goodbye to the me of two years ago. It's saying goodbye to all of you guys, my readers and followers who have stuck with me since the beginning. I love chatting with you guys in the comments, I love seeing your takes and answering your questions. I'll miss that flood of comments that I get after I update the chapter.

Maybe someday, I'll come back and rewrite this, give it the love and dedication it deserves. But it's reached the stage now, where it's either my mental health or this book. I have to choose my mental health. Always. I have to be my own priority.

I'm sorry.

Love always, Charlie x


	6. Notes

**The first few paragraphs of what would have been Chapter 5 (False Face Doth Hide What False Heart Doth Know)**

Ash floated through the air, settling in their hair and armour like a thick layer of snow. The earth, scorched black and still smouldering, was bare, free of any life. The group stumbled through the remains of the village, trying to navigate rubble and smoke alike, calling out for any survivors.

No one answered.

Pidge used Green's technology to scan for any life in vain.

Whatever had happened to the alteans, they were long gone now.

The group reconverged at the edge of the forest, all solemn and silent. Allura, Coran and Romelle stuck together, and nobody knew how to even begin to console them. Even Lotor – who kept himself so carefully blank – was quiet and mournful.

Lance respectfully turned his eyes away from the grieving alteans, instead of watching the smoke and sky. The ash fell in a flurry, and it was the closest Lance had ever seen to snow. He watched to open his mouth and catch it on his tongue, but it burnt whit hot even where it landed on his suit.

Pidge and Hunk knelt over Green's equipment, frantically searching for anyone, anything still left. Lance wanted to help, but he knew it was fruitless. There was nothing here but rubble and grief and smoke.

Behind him, Keith awkwardly cleared his throat. His voice, still hoarse, was soft and tentative. It was times like this that Lance remembered that Keith was still new, still learning to be the Black Paladin.

"Pidge, is there anything-?" Pidge shook their head. "Guys, I'm- I'm so sorry." Keith paused, taking a shaky breath. "I think we should head back to the castle. I don't think we'll find anything here."

As though in a trance, the group moved back through the forest, to the Lion and the castle. They were all far, far away.

**Rough Story plan, This fic was already 15k long, and I predicted it would reach at least 50-60k**

The team would have stumbled across a new village on the altean colony. From a distance, they would have watched 'Lotor' address the alteans. 'Lotor' gathers up more alteans for the second colony. The team follow, sneak in and are horrified by what they find.

Most of the alteans are too far gone to save, but the team rescue several who aren't. Allura, Romelle and Lotor are separated from the team, and attacked by a druid. Lotor is given a chance to join the druids but refuses, protecting Allura and Romelle and thus creating a little more trust between the team and himself, however, he is seriously injured. 

The team rush back to the original colony, and Lotor manages to convince the alteans to follow him into the lions. More druids attack, and Allura and Keith encounter Haggar. This was supposed to be a major battle, and really bring them together as a Leader and 2nd-in-command pair. There is tension between them for the vast majority of this fic, and I wanted this moment to solidify the bond between them.

Haggar is (temporarily) defeated, and the alteans are rushed back to the castleship. Many are placed in pods, but the leaders of the alteans (i.e whoever stepped up to the plate) are given an explanation to what had been happening to their colony, and the universe. 

They're furious that they have been taken advantage of, murdered, abused, violated. They for "Allura's Army" and henceforth call Allura "Queen Allura". Any alteans who do not wish to fight (those who are elderly, children, disabled or simply don't want to) are put under the Olkarion's care, where they are taken care of.

The galra have a tradition of long morning periods, and with Zarkon's coming to an end, the Kral Zera approaches. The Blade's hold a meeting to decide whether they should put someone forward (and lose their secrecy) or stay in the shadows and risk someone like Sendak getting the throne.

Keith is nominated, but he says no. He nominates Kolivan or Lotor. Everyone is surprised that he trusts Lotor that much - including Lotor himself - but Keith suggests a change in ruling. Lotor would be head of state, but he wouldn't wield that much power. The empire would be run by a government (made up of Blades) with Lotor as a figurehead.

After the meeting, Keith speaks with his mother about the meeting. He suggests she is part of the government too.

The next chapter or two would have been from two points of view; one, Pidge and Matt finding their dad, and two, the rest of the team on a planet gathering supplies.

Lance and Krolia find Kosmo on this planet, but he wants nothing to do with them. Still, he follows them. Krolia mentions an old myth about 'stardogs' (I was going to come up with a better name) but doesn't go into detail, just says that if he's hanging out, his 'destined' is nearby.

Kosmo (obviously) finds Keith, and Keith counts him as Lance's greatest courting gift. Keith and Krolia have a heart to heart about the 'stardog' which had been Keith's favourite bedtime story as a kid. It's the first time Keith feels like he actually connects with Krolia, the first time he can relax around her.

Meanwhile, Lotor, Matt, Pidge and Ulaz search for Sam. Lotor thinks he might know where he is, so they leave in Green. They find him on a small planet creating weapons for the Galra empire (as a slave). They free him and the other scientists, and take them back to the castle. Some want to stay and help, others want to go home.

The Kral Zera. The Blade's announce their intentions to the coalition. Most aren't please, but Voltron backs them up (progress). Only galra are allowed to attend the Kral Zera, meaning Keith is the only one of Team Voltron to attend.

However, last minute, someone suggests the clone joins (who at this point has named himself Ryuo, and has the beginnings of a good relationship with Shiro. He was controlled by Haggar, but he was good at heart. He is, after all, Shiro. As he's part galra, he is allowed to accompany Keith and the Blades.

(Sam, Pidge and Matt have built both Shiro and Ryou new arms, powered by Balmera crystals. Shiro's looks similar to the altean arm he has in canon, just an entire arm, not half of one. Ryou's looks like a mix between the galra arm and the altean one.)

Lotor, Keith, Ryou and the Blade's go to the Kral Zera. Sendak loses his shit, and attacks. Lotor, Keith and Ryou are separated from the Blades and Sendak targets them. They focus on moving Lotor to the alter/bonfire while keeping them all alive. Ryou kills Sendak.

Haggar takes on Kolivan and Antok, who are injured but manage to stave her off long enough for Lotor to light the torch.

Lotor and his new (Blade) government start to make slow changes to the Empire. They begin to work with planets to either a) free them and let them join the coalition independently, or b) improve their conditions. (Keeping in mind that almost every time a country, or in this case, a planet, is given independence, there is a civil war, Lotor and the government were working with the planets so that if they wanted independence, that wouldn't happen. A smooth transition)

Voltron are needed to help rebuild etc. Keith and Lance go on a date and spend quality time together!!

Keith goes into heat. No nsfw obviously, but I was going to show the moments in between, with Lance taking care of Keith. This would have been full of worldbuilding, and headcanons.

Keith would have accepted a small bandana from Krolia for his nest, obviously a pinnacle moment in their relationship.

Lance realises that Keith is it for him, during this heat.

Sam decides to go home, Keith and Lance remind him of Colleen and he realises that he has to prepare Earth for war.

After Keith's heat, Haggar escapes. She's a huge threat, so the team go to Central Command to help find her (they don't find her). Keith visits the Blades. 

I was going to start dropping Romelle/Allura hints in the background around here.

The team travel from high-quintessence planet to high-quintessence planet in an effort to find Haggar and her druids. They stop at the Balmera to warn them, and to collect a few crystals. Shay decides to join the team on the castle (bear in mind the castle is full again, alteans, scientists, blades, it's no longer just the team). She wants to help them manage their crystals, and heal the wounded. (also for Hunk. Mostly for Hunk).

Keith asks Lance to share a room with him.

The next day, Allura leads them to a quieter part of the castle, where she gives them a nicer and bigger room. (The mice can't keep a secret!)

Keith finally convinces Shiro to train with him and Black.

**Here my notes become much less detailed:**

The team hear rumours of Haggar's whereabouts. It's a trap. Allura is needed in the castle ship, so the team switch back to the original layout, with little difficulty. Cue a massive battle, but they survive.

The castle ship is badly damaged, the alteans barely managing to keep it running. It is decided that one of the Lions (Green) will be sent to Earth (wormhole) since Sam has some important docs and materials.

With Pidge's help, Earth build the Atlas and send it to the castle location. The Atlas and castleship combine, creating a new, separate ship, named The White Lion. During this transformation, Shiro's hair starts to turn white.

The team are reunited with some of their families, who were on board the atlas (Earth wasn't attacked, but people like Colleen Holt and Veronica were linked to the Garrison anyway.)

Shiro's younger sisters had joined the Garrison with the intentions of finding Shiro and Keith. Adam survived (obviously, since there was no attack on Earth)

The White Lion and the Galra Republic Army (unsure about that name) join forces and find and battle Haggar. She has a long monologue about Lotor and her family, but Lotor shuts her down. She dies, with no redemption because she was a horrible and abusive person.

Altea and Daibazaal are not remade, but their people settle peacefully on new planets.

Allura and Romelle become the Queens of New Altea.

Lotor is given the title Emperor of New Daibazaal (although it is just to honor traditions, he isn't acting Emperor)

Keith is the Daibazaal ambassador on Earth, Lance the Altea ambassador on Earth.

Both Keith and Lance are given offers to work with the Garrison, but they laugh and say no. Neither ever want to work with the Garrison ever again. Voltron belongs to the universe, not the Garrison.

And that's it folks. I wanted to end on a marriage proposal between Keith and Lance, but I never really figured out how/who should do it. Thank you for sticking with me through this, and once again, I'm sorry with how things turned out. 

Charlie x


End file.
